Liquid dispensing device



Nov. 16, 1 954 E. s. HIGGINBOTHAM W LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 14. 1948. s Sheets- Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

1954 E. s. HIGGINBOTHAM 2,694,601

LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 14. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1954 E. s. HIGGINBOTHAM LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 14. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WWI JNVENTOR.

BY %m,'%w

Unite States Patent Ofiice Patented Nov. 1.6, 1954 LHQUHD DISPENSING DEVICE Edwin S. Higginhothain, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to This invention relates to hose supporting mechanisms for so-called gasoline pumps, although the invention is capable of application to any type of liquid dispensing apparatus wherein it is desired to have a hose which is substantially instantly convertible from a short length for dispensing the liquid to locations relatively close to the pump, to a longer hose construction wherein the liquid may be disposed at locations more remote from the pump.

The present application isa continuation-in-part of applicants co-pending application Serial No. 766,928, filed August 7, 1947, now Patent 2,639,944, granted May 26, 1953, wherein is claimed a retrieving mechanism disposed within the cabinet housing, and which retrieving mechanism cooperates with the means for returning the hose to draped position on the outer wall of the upstanding housing when the hose is not in use.

Among the objects of the present invention is to. pro vide a simple type of liquid dispensing apparatus involving an upstanding housing enclosing the operating parts of the mechanism for forcing the liquid through the dispensing line, and wherein the dispensing hose is draped permanently on the exterior of the housing and includes mechanisms whereby either only a short partial length of the hose may be utilized, or alternatively a longer length or the entire length of the hose may be utilized simply by pulling upon the hose itself, the construction being such that when the dispensing" operation is over, the extra length of hose is automatically draped or suspended from the side of the housing merely by returning the nozzle of the hose back to its stationary support on the housing.

Another object of the invention resides in the internal construction and arrangement of the mechanism for re trieving and suspending the hose from the external walls of the housing.

Another obiect of the invention resides in the mecha-' nism which permits extension of the hose and auto: matically retrieves the hose upon cessation of pull at the outer end of the hose, said mechanism including a flexible member clamped to a portion of the flexible; hose located between its length, the clamp being connected to a flexible member passing inwardly of the housing and operable by a weight movable in a guideway within the housing, the construction being such that as-noiseless, sure operation of the mechanism is assured.

Yet another object ofthe' invention resides in providing a nylon covered steel cable as the flexible member connected to the clamp substantially at the midpoint of the flexible hose whereby durability of the flexible cord and silence in operation are assured.

Another object of the invention resides in theconstruction of the hose clampassembly and the rubber boot mechanism which returns the'hose. to. a draped conditionoutside of the housing whereby silence in operation and a cushioning effect are provided.

Another object of the invention resides in the simple type of spring operated guide member associated with one of the reels located within the housing for maintaining the flexible cord or cable on the rotatable reel during the paying out and retrieving motions of the cable reel.

These and other objects of the invent-ion will be apparent from a perusal of the followingspecification when. taken in connection with the accompanying drawlng,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a gasollne pump embodying, the invention;

Figure 2' is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a view showing the hose in extended position;

Figure 4- is a vertical sectional View; taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detailed section taken on the line 5-5. of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5' showing the up position of the weight when the hose is fully extended;

Figure 7 is a detailed perspective view of the counterweight;

Figure 8 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4';

Figure 9 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 9'9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional View taken on the line Ill-10 of Figure 2;

Figure 11 is a detailed perspective viewof the hose and the hose clamp assembly; and

Figure 12 is a modification of the eye through which the cable passes.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the invention is shown as applied to a gasoline dispensing pump of a general type. A pump such as this includes an internal rig-idifying'framework including four upright corner posts 2 and 4', two of the corner posts not being shown, and including a top cross support 6 and a bottom frame mem ber 8- which is somewhat spaced from the basal rigidified bottom member 10 of the skeletal structure of the pump framework. It is understood that this internal framework includes other cross supports and cross braces upon which the motor driven pump mechanism such. as 12' is supported, and additional supports for the usual meter 14 and the computing mechanism 1'6 driven thereby. In,

erally including a somewhat upstanding rectangular housing. Connected to the motor driven pump is the usual inlet pipe 20 which projects downwardly'to a source of liquid supply. The outlet pipe 22 from. the pump passes to the meter 14'and the discharge pipe 24 from the pump passes upwardly at the top of the housing. through the usual sight glass 26 from which the rigid part of the pipe 28 extends downwardly to a coupling 30 forming a part of the housing andv which has a union 32 thereon connecting with the innermost end 34 of the flexible hose 36. The flexible hose is provided at its outer end with the usual type of: nozzle 38 which includes a manually operable valve for controlling, the flow through the hose and dispensing nozzlewhen the pump isput in operation. The nozzle is adapted to' rest normally when not in use upon a stationary hose hook 40 which. extends outwardly from the housing and is constructed to receivethe hose hook. In the present instance the hose hook is shown as pivoted as at 42 so that. it may be raised and the inner portion of the hose support 40 has connected thereto a control mechanism, as is well known in theart, to the pump 'motor, so that when the nozzle support 40 is raised to a position. where it will not receive thenozzle 38 a. pump motor switch willi be thrown to an operative positionto start the-motor. Conversely, when'the motor is not in operation the nozzlesupport 40 is down to a. horizontal position where it willreceive the nozzle as. shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The present invention is constructed particularly for association with that type of a dispensing pump-and apparatus.wherein. the hose is of greater length than usual. For instance, in the present invention the hose may be from:

twelve to fifteen feet in length, more. or less, and' the.

present invention relates particularly to' means for sup porting this extra. length hose in draped. formation upon closeto. the pump,,or alternatively the; full, length of'hose: may-be utilized merely by pulling upon thenozzleend of the. hose. which immediately causes or permits the hose suspension mechanism to reach: such: a position: that the hose, may be extended to a. much greater distance and to a point more remote than a short distance away from the pump housing.

In the present instance the length of flexible hose is provided somewhere between its opposite ends with a clamp or connector 46. The clamp is preferably located substantially at the midpoint of the length of flexible hose but it may be located at any desired point to accommodate the peculiar draping suspension of the hose on the outside of the housing. The clamp is shown in detail in Figure 11 as comprising a preferably encircling saddleshaped member including a body portion 46 which encircles the hose 36. The body portion is provided with two ears 48 and 50 which are provided with registering openings through which passes a fastening clamping bolt 52, the same being held in this clamping position by the head 54, the nut 56, and a lock washer 57. Immediately surrounding the bolt is a sleeve or cylindrical washer 58 having a peripheral groove around which passes one end of a flexible cable 60. This flexible cable in turn passes through an anchoring disk 62 having a plurality of holes therethrough through which strands of the end of the cable are anchored after passing around the cylindrical washer 52 on the bolt or pin 56. Thus the end of the cable is anchored in the anchoring disk 62. The anchoring disk 62 and the bolt or screw 56 and the nut that holds the sleeve 52 in position thereon with the end of the cable therearound, are all housed within a rubber boot 64 which is provided with an internally hollowed out portion shaped to receive these parts. It will be noted that the end of the boot is open as at 66 whereas the opposite end has a central hole 68 through which the cable 60 passes. This boot is provided with a conical nose 70. The cavity of the boot makes a tight fit with the anchor sleeve whereby the end 22 the cable is anchored within the boot and to the clamp Afi'ixed to the outside of the housing 18 as heretofore described is another fitting 72, see Figure 4. The fitting 72 is preferably a hood in the form of a cast aluminum cadmium plate carrying an eye 74 of preferably stainless steel hardened or brass brightly nickel-plated and pressed into position in the opening 76 in the hood 72. Alternatively I may form the eye 74 of glazed porcelain or stress relieved glass cemented into the hood as at 73 and/ or held in position by inserting a spring clamp or hairpin spring 75 as illustrated in Figure 12 engaging a groove 77 in the inner end of the eye. The eye 74 is provided with a central opening 76 which is flared on its inner wall as at 80 and is curved outwardly at 82. The cable 60 passes through the central opening 84 of this eye.

Means is provided within the gasoline pump housing for coiling the cable 60 upon the reel mechanism rotatably mounted within the housing. For this purpose a track structure comprising two parallel guideways 94 and 96 is mounted upon the lower cross frame member 8, see Figures 1 and 4, and upon the top cross member 6. This is accomplished by means of a pair of metal foot plates 86 and 88 bolted or welded to the front base cross bar 8 at the bottom, and the bottom of each of the guide members 94 and 96 is riveted onto this foot plate as at 98. At the top the two guideways 94 and 96 pass through a cable thrust plate 100 and through the top cross bracket 6 and are held in position by the pair of nuts as shown.

At the bottom of each of these vertical guideways 94 and 96, and concentrically surrounding the same, is a rubber sleeve or safety stop 104, and likewise at the top between the two vertical guideways 94 and 96 is located an additional rubber bumper 106 which is held in place by appropriate bolts and nuts 108 passing through the top plate 6 and the thrust plate 100.

Mounted laterally upon the cable thrust plate 100 is a rotatable sheave and the mounting comprises a bracket 110 carrying a pair of side arms 112 and 114 suspending a sheave pin 116 upon which is rotatably mounted a sheave 118 around which the cable 60 passes. The sheave bracket 110 is held to the cable thrust plate by means of the bolt 120 and the nut 122. The bolt has a head 124 and there is a lock washer 126. A cable guide bronze spring, preferably of wire, is mounted upon the sheave pin spring wire 128 as at 130 and 132 about the sheave pin 116. This is accomplished by coiling the inner ends of the 116 outside of the bracket arms 112 and 114, thus providing two legs straddling the sheave. These legs extend outwardly and are provided with a central coil 134 through which the cable 60 passes. This construction thereby provides a very cheap, resilient guide for maintaining the cable in the V-groove of the sheave 118.

The cable 60, after passing around the sheave, extends downwardly and passes around another pulley or sheave 136 rotatably mounted on a pin 138 in a carrier 140 which carrier is formed as a weight. The upper portion of this carrier is provided with a main slot 142 which forms a wall 144 spaced from the wall portion 146. The pin 138 passes through an opening in the wall 144 and also through a registering opening 148 in the wall portion 150 of the carrier. This wall portion 150 is cut away as shown at 152 and 154, leaving the central wall 156. In addition, the wall portion 156 stops as at 158 to provide a space 160 into which the outer end of the pin 138 projects, the opposite end of the pin being headed. The end of the pin which projects through the opening 148 is provided with a washer and with a cotter pin fastener 162 for holding the pin in position.

The upper block portion 164 of the carrier 140 is provided with two vertically disposed openings 166 and 168 each provided with a bearing liner. These openings 166 and 168 register with openings 170 and 172 formed in a lower cross block 174 of the carrier. The stationary rods 94 and 96 pass freely through the openings 166, 168, 170 and 172. The two lower openings 170 and 172 are each provided with bearing liners so as to permit the carrier 140 to slide freely upon the guide rods 94 and 96. The bottom portion 174 of the carrier in the lower position will overlie in spaced position from the rubber bumper 102, so that if the cable 60 should break the weight 140 will strike the resilient bumper and prevent the possible formation of sparks that might otherwise occur, whereas in the uppermost position of the carrier as shown in Figure 6 the bar 164 will strike against the centrally disposed rubber bumper 106. Preferably I provide the upper bar 164 of the carrier with a top plug 176 to strike against the bumper 106. The flexible cable 60 passes around the periphery of the pulley or sheave 136 of the weighted carrier and thence passes upwardly and is stationarily anchored in the dome plate 100 by means of a rubber bumper 178 which is provided with a central reduced sleeve 180 and a hollow bore 182 through which the end of the cable 60 passes. The top portion of the rubber bumper is provided with a metal plate 184 having a central aperture 186 through which the end of the cable passes and the extreme end of the cable is tied into a double knot as at 188 which is of greater thickness than the opening 186 whereby the cable is anchored to the dome plate 100 and also to the cross bar 6. As stated before, this cable is a steel cable that is nylon covered, and the clamp 46 is preferably formed of sheet brass nylon covered and the hose clamp boot is formed of synthetic rubber.

It will thus be seen that with the foregoing construction there is provided a hose retrieving device wherein the entire length of the hose, the same being twelve feet or more, is mounted permanently on the outside of the housing, ready for use, in looped formation and in a manner such that for a short range the operator merely removes the valve nozzle from the usual supporting hook on the housing, raises the pump lever to throw the motor pump into action and carries the nozzle to the nearby car having the tank to be filled. If the car be close enough it will not be necessary to utilize the full draped length of the hose on the housing, so that length of hose which extends from the foot 30 up to the clamp 46 is not utilized. It is only that portion of the hose which extends from the nozzle to the clamp 46, seen in Figure 2, that is so utilized. If it becomes necessary to use a greater length of hose, a sufficient pull on the nozzle end of the hose will, through the intermediary of the clamp 46, cause a pull upon the cable 60 which in turn through the hereinbefore described weight carrier 140 on the vertical tracks 94 and 96 cause the cord to unreel from the upper sheave 118 whereby to cause the carrier 140 to rise on the tracks 94 and 96. Thus the entire length of the hose shown in Figure 3 may be extended out to the desired length. When the filling operation is over the operator walks to the housing and the cord 60 automatically retracts into the housing, due to the weight of the carrier 140 moving down upon the tracks 94 and 96, whereupon the clamp 46 will be drawn up snugly against the housing as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 4, to coil the hose on the housing, at which time the nozzle may be restored to its hook after the pump operating lever has been pulled down to horizontal position, or alternatively, if the nozzle support 40 is pulled down to horizontal position, in which case the nozzle support itself is formed as the pump operating lever.

It is understood that the term nylon will include any linear polyamide as a covering for the metal cable, which may be of either Monel metal or steel, steel being preferred. The nylon covering is molded in place on the cable and directly bonded thereto and not only forms a smooth slidable surface for the elongated flexible retrieving member, but also prevents rusting of the same and gives a highly wear-resistant flexible coating. This nylon is molded to the cable and is directly bonded thereto. Possibly the nylon could be a tube or other form, suitably adhered to the steel cable or by a friction fit.

It is apparent that many widely diflerent embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore it is not intended to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. in combination with an upstanding housing, a dispensing line mounted within said housing and adapted to be connected to a source of liquid to be dispensed, means in said housing for forcing liquid through said line, said housing having a first opening disposed about midway of the height of the housing and through which a portion of the dispensing line passes, said dispensing line terminating in a flexible hose disposed wholly outside of said housing, said flexible hose terminating in a nozzle provided with a manually operable control valve, said housing above said first opening having a second opening, a fitting for said second opening, said fitting including a central opening of relatively small diameter provided with internal curvilinear walls, an elongated flexible member of smaller diameter than the diameter of said central opening passing through the opening formed by said curvilinear walls, clamping means mounted on said hose between its ends, the outer end of said elongated flexible means being looped about a portion of said clamping means, and a plug or fixture having spaced openings therein through which portions of said elongated flexible member pass whereby to connect the outer end of said elongated flexible member to said clamp, a boot having a hollow portion and a central aperture, said hollow portion receiving and housing the plug, with the boot covering the connection between said elongated flexible member and said clamping means, the inner end of said boot having a substantially conical resilient nose, said second fitting having conical smooth walls adapted to receive the nose of said boot, and retrieving means mounted within said housing including mechanism for yieldably retrieving said elongated flexible member within said housing to cause the nose of said boot to snugly fit the curved walls of said fitting and with the clamping means carrying the hose maintained adjacent said fitting, and a nozzle support mounted on said housing above said fitting and adapted to receive the nozzle on said support when the hose is not in use.

2. In combination with an upstanding housing including a dispensing line enclosed by said housing and having connection to a source of liquid to be dispensed, liquid forcing means mounted in said housing for forcing liquid through said dispensing line, said dispensing line passing through an opening in the housing and terminating in a flexible hose, said hose terminating in a nozzle having a manually operable control valve, a support on the upper portion of said housing for said nozzle when the nozzle is not in use, said housing including therein lower and upper cross supports mounted adjacent the bottom and top of said housing respectively, and a pair of parallel guideways having their bottom and top ends supported by said lower and upper cross supports, an elongated, relatively heavy carrier having upper and lower registering openings through which said vertical guideways pass whereby said carrier is vertically shiftable within said housing on said guideways, resilient bumper means disposed in spaced relation to said carrier in its lowermost position to prevent the formation of sparks if the cable should break, and resilient bumper means for buffering said carrier in its uppermost position, a sheave rotatably supported by said upper cross support adjacent said guideways, a pulley rotatably mounted on the upper portion of said carrier, an elongated flexible member having its inner end anchored to an upper stationary portion within said housing and looped around the pulley of said carrier and around the sheave, the opposite end of said flexible member passing through an opening in said housing located somewhat above the center of the vertical height of said housing, clamping means carried by the hose between its ends and a connection between said clamping means and the outer end of said elongated-flexible member.

3. In a liquid dispensing device, in combination with an upstanding housing, a dispensing line in said housing and passing through an opening in the housing and providing externally of the housing an elongated flexible hose terminating in a nozzle having a control valve, said housing having a second opening therein disposed above the first opening, means on the housing above the second opening for supporting the nozzle when not in use, clamping means disposed on the hose between its ends, and a flexible cable connected to said clamping means and passing through said second opening into the housing, retrieving means mounted within the housing including two relatively shiftable pulleys, said flexible means passing in sequence around each of said pulleys and having its inner end anchored within the housing, one of said pulleys being stationary and the other of said pulleys being shiftable toward and away from said stationary pulley, means tending normally to shift said shiftable pulley away from said stationary pulley, said stationary pulley having a pin on which said pulley freely rotates, and a spring wire having its ends coiled in spaced relation about said pin, the wire being bent to provide a central looped portion extending adjacent and overlying the periphery of the sheave, said flexible means passing through said looped portion of said wire whereby to maintain the flexible means on said pulley during rotation of said pulley and extending and retrieving movement of said flexible means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,525,837 Walker et al Feb. 10, 1925 1,642,132 Walter Sept. 13, 1927 1,725,289 Manley Aug. 20, 1929 2,168,951 Caldwell Aug. 8, 1939 2,188,332 Carothers Ian. 30, 1940 2,206,212 Wainwright July 2, 1940 2,327,475 Waugh Aug. 24, 1943 2,358,635 Grise Sept. 19, 1944 2,401,291 Smith May 28, 1946 2,446,292 McConnell Aug. 3, 1948 2,564,623 Harks Aug. 14, 1951 

